David Dawson believes momentum is building at FC Mindwell - on and off the pitch.
Last Saturday’s gutsy 3-2 win over Riverdale helped preserve the club’s flawless record in Division Three of the Mid Ulster Football League.
They have won all 16 of their league games to date to sit 13 points clear at the top of the table.
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Mindwell was set up during lockdown and is Northern Ireland’s first football club dedicated to helping people with mental health.
The club was launched amid plenty of hype and media attention back in 2020, with former Northern Ireland international Keith Gillespie heavily involved alongside ex-Liverpool and England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland who is a club ambassador.
But while the club continues to drive the important message of men’s mental health, they are also delivering results on the pitch.
And Mindwell boss Dawson believes it is important that the two complement each other.
“When we launched this club we very much wanted to drive the football side of things, on top of spreading a very important message about men’s mental health,” Dawson told Match on Tuesday.
“They have to go hand in hand. If you’re not winning then you won’t enjoy it, and if you don’t enjoy it then this isn’t a place you would want to come every Saturday for your release.
“So it is important we get that balance right, and it is testament to the club which has been fantastic since the very start.
“It was Brian Adair who asked me if I would have an interest in managing the team, and it was a no-brainer for me.
“The boys have been super, and we have added a couple of new faces in recent weeks. So we need another big push for these last 10 games and we will see where it leaves us.”
Former Manchester United and Newcastle United winger Gillespie remains part of Mindwell’s squad, while ex-Northern Ireland goalkeeper Roy Carroll has also been a big supporter of the club.
“Keith makes himself available when he can, but he is obviously a busy man,” Dawson added.
“But he is still involved now and again. He would pull the boots on, no problem. He is very much a part of Mindwell and what we’re trying to do.
“The men’s mental health message is huge. We were formed to spread the message and we are continuing to drive it. We are pushing the message to not suffer, and urging people to speak out.
“Everyone has their daily struggles. But sometimes we bottle them up.
“It is better to talk about it and get it off your chest. Even a small problem can fester and escalate if you don’t share it.
“We are still partnered with Links Counselling Services and they would often come in and talk to the squad.
“This will always be a big theme to this club and something we will continue to build on.
“And thankfully football is going hand in hand with it. Sport keeps people active and improves your physical and mental health.
“We have a lot of players who didn’t kick a ball for four or five seasons, and this filled their void.
“Things have snowballed and the boys are back into it and loving it.
“The project is going really well and we are delighted with the progress the club has made.”
Saturday’s 3-2 win over Riverdale keeps Mindwell 13 points clear at the top of the Division 3, but Bessbrook do have two games in hand.
Promotion remains firmly on the cards, but Dawson isn’t getting too carried away.
He said: “We are just taking it one game at a time. It’s a tired old cliche but it rings true.
“To go 16 games on the bounce without dropping a point, at any level, is remarkable. But it’s down to the hard work of the players.
“We only train one night a week because of the older nature of our squad. It is too much to ask them to train two nights a week and play on a Saturday.
“But they put in the hard work on a Tuesday night, and they come down in their numbers from everywhere - Dundalk to Bangor. It is super.
“They train hard and get their rewards.”
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